


Days:Hours:Minutes:Seconds

by montes-carpatus (Carpathyah)



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Death Counter, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-03
Updated: 2013-09-03
Packaged: 2017-12-25 12:32:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/953135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carpathyah/pseuds/montes-carpatus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>  The first number meant the days, then the hours, minutes and seconds that he had left to live.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Days:Hours:Minutes:Seconds

Ray took his coat off the hanger and made his way outside. He shivered in the chilly autumn morning. His taxi was waiting for him in front of the house. He got inside and rubbed his already cold hands on his jeans to warm them up.

“Where to?” the taxi driver asked him.

“Austin State Hospital please,” he responded. The familiar pain in his chest was even more painful today. He took deep breaths to calm him down; to keep the pain inside.  He arrived at the hospital and passed through the white doors. He detested hospitals. He hated the smell. He hated the clean white walls and floor. Everything. He walked up to the reception.

“Hi, I’m here to pick up Michael Vincent Jones, please,” he asked with a smile to seem somewhat pleasant. She typed in his name on her computer, the sound of her nails hitting the keys echoed in the space.

“Yes, room 119 on the 5th floor please,” she smiled back at him. He gave a quick nod and took the closest elevator. The route was all too familiar to him at this point.  The room was open, and he quickly stepped inside. Michael was sitting on the edge of the bed, facing the window. His hair has grown out a considerable amount and he seemed frail. “Hey Michael,” Ray spoke. He sat next to him on the bed. “You’re coming home today,” Ray took a quick peek at the glowing red text on his inner arm, partially hidden by his hospital bracelet.

_389:10:03:33._

The first number meant the days, then the hours, minutes and seconds that he had left to live.

Ray felt his heart fall into the pit of his stomach, almost making him choke. Michael turned to look at him. His brown eyes were a lighter shade of brown but seemed gloomier and darker than they were intended to be. Ray placed his hand over his. It was a lot colder than his own.

“I want this to be the last time I’m here Ray,” Michael croaked.

“It will be,” Ray promised. The nurse checked him out and cut the bracelet that dangled around his wrist. Ray held onto Michael’s hand as they stepped outside; holding a suitcase in the other hand. Michael paused in his steps to appreciate the fresh air and sunlight. The taxi ride home was pleasant though Michael didn’t really smile.

Michael was to return to work the next Monday, and he was excited for it. Ray was happy too, to see him laugh and yell along with the rest of their co-workers. Despite his happiness, his eyes would always wonder to the counter on his inner left arm, compared to his. He promised Michael to make his last year and a half the best he ever had.

It warmed Ray’s heart to see Michael with most of the energy he once had. He found himself less melancholic too. Home wasn’t as depressing either and they could finally enjoy each other’s company again.

“Hey Ray,” Michael chimed as Ray was packing his bag to leave work. Ray looked up to his boyfriend, who was standing there in a long sleeve shirt. “I love you. I feel like I don’t say it enough.” The blood rushed quickly into Ray’s cheeks. It’s been months since Michael had told him anything close to that. He walked over to him and gave him the biggest hug he could give.

“I love you too,” he choked into Michael’s shirt.

Michael had started to feel sick again and Ray realized he was quickly running out of time. That Saturday morning, he packed a school bag of little necessities.

“Michael, I’m bringing you somewhere worth living for,” Ray told him and he brought him to the train station and bought two tickets to Los Angeles.

“Why are we going to Los Angeles?” Michael questioned as they waited for the train.

“You’ll see,” Ray responded. He didn’t want to spoil the surprise. On the train, he let Michael take the window seat but, he wasn’t interested. Instead he leaned against Ray’s shoulder, which held his hand tightly throughout the trip. He couldn’t calm himself and stared at Michael’s counter.

_290:14:10:01_

He had approximately nine months left. He turned his arm to look at his. He never paid attention to it. He believed the counter was sickening. It was cruel and avoided his at all costs.

_19357:12:03:20_

That was over fifty years left. Compared to his lover’s, he had forever to live.

“Stop staring at it Ray,” He interrupted his thoughts. Ray jumped in his seat.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized. “I can’t help it,”

“Just being with you is going to make my last few months worth living. You didn’t have to buy a train ticket to Los Angeles to prove me anything,” Michael explained. Ray didn’t respond as they arrived to their destination. Ray called for a taxi for the closest beach. Never letting go of Michael’s hand, they walked down the beach. It was too cold to swim to Ray’s disappointment. Michael sat in the sand and brought Ray down with him. They sat in silence at the setting sun.

“I can’t live without you Michael; I don’t want you to die. I almost lost you once, I don’t want to lose you again,” Ray explained. He was close to tears but didn’t dare cry. He needed to be strong.

“I’m fighting, I’ll cheat this counter,” his partner reassured him. “If I lose, it was worth the fight,” He took Ray’s face in his hands and kissed him. It was soft and gentle at first but then Ray pressed on, nipping at his lips. The tears began to fall down his face and onto Michael’s hands. He pulled away, taking in sharp breaths. Michael let him cry. The moon was high in the sky when Ray had stopped crying. 

“C’mon, I’ll rent a hotel room,” Michael said as he stood up. The air was cold and he could feel Ray getting goosebumps. In the room, Michael ordered pizza and they sat on the balcony, looking over at the ocean. Ray had given Michael his sweater and covered himself with a blanket from the room. After a while of silence, Michael mentioned that they should get some sleep if they wanted to catch the train in time the next day. They crawled into bed, both in underwear and pressed against each other for warmth under the cold sheets. Ray snuggled in the older man’s chest; to memorize his heartbeat before it was too late. Michael had brought him closer, smelling his black hair and lightly stroking his back.

The cough came back only a month later. Michael tried to hide the bloody tissues but, Ray found them either way.

“I’m bringing you back to the hospital,” Ray exclaimed one evening after Michael had another coughing fit in the bathroom. He was sitting in the kitchen drinking a glass of milk.

“Don’t you dare,” Michael threatened as he exited.

“You’re going to die earlier like this,” Ray argued as he placed his glass near the sink.

“You’re going to break your promise to me, Ray,” Michael reminded. Ray pulled back and mentally cursed. He angrily got up and turned up Michael’s wrist.

_253.09.33.04_

“You have eight months left, Michael; it hasn’t gone up since the last time I checked,” Ray spat. Michael pulled his arm away.

“What the fuck do you want me to do about it, Ray? Go on my knees and pray to God for a fucking miracle?!” He yelled at him. His face was turned a shade of red Ray was familiar with. His arms and fists were tense.

“So, you want to die? And leave me here alone?” Ray accused. Michael’s face got even tenser. He held onto the counter top so he wouldn’t throw anything at him. Ray could feel himself crumble.

“No! Fucking Christ Ray! I don’t want to fucking die,” Michael wailed. He took a few deep breaths. “And I don’t want to leave _you_ here alone either,” Ray backed down and leaned against the wall in defeat. Michael calmed his nerves and walked over to his boyfriend and wrapped his arms around his waist, giving him a light kiss on his temple.

“I’ll be yours until the very end,” Michael whispered. Ray loosely brought up his arms to place them on his shoulders in surrender.

—-

Michael’s body became once again frail and pale and yet, remained as happy as he could ever be.  Ray kissed him more often, hugged him more often, fell in love with him more often. One clear evening, Michael brought Ray to a field, telling him there was going to be a meteor shower.

The grass was still warm from the hot summer day and without a cloud in the sky, the stars were shining as bright as they hoped.

“You can see The Little Dipper,” Ray pointed to the sky.

“Barely , the light pollution isn’t helping,” he joked. Holding hands, they laid in silence, taking in the other’s presence as comfort. “Hey Ray?”

“Yeah?” He responded. He heard a light chuckle.

“Would you marry me?” He gripped his hand tighter. Ray smiled and laughed.

“Of course I would marry you,” he replied turned his face to Michael’s.

“Then, I got something for you,” he let go of Ray’s hand for a moment to place a chain with a ring attached to it. “I was meant to give this to you a while ago, but, I didn’t want you to marry someone who was going to die at twenty-six. Now, it’s something for you, to have a piece of me. It’s actually, my grad ring,” Michael explained. Ray took the weight in his hand.

“I’ll cherish this forever,” he promised and curled himself around Michael, with the ring and chain in his palm. As Michael continued to point at the stars, Ray could only stare at the painfully bright red numbers.

_147:12:30:01_

—-

After fainting at work one afternoon, Ray and Burnie decided it was best for Michael’s health to stay at home.

“What am I going to do at home alone?” Michael grumbled after he got the news. He dropped himself onto the sofa and stared up at the ceiling.

“Burnie suggested you could continue to record the Rage Quit at home. You can technically still play Minecraft with us and other multiplayer games, just, I don’t know what else,” Ray tried to explain to him as he placed his bag on the floor and walked over to kiss him.

“That’s no fun,” Michael sighed into the kiss.

“I know, I’ll miss you at work,” Ray said as he gave him a quick peck.

“I’ll miss you too,” Michael said as Ray parted from him. He walked to the kitchen to start putting things together for dinner when he spotted the plentiful amount of pill bottles on the counter. He sighed. Despite the hundreds of pills Michael took, it wasn’t going to extend his life and it only masked the pain and side effects of the illness. He regrouped them in the corner, unable to look at them any longer. He felt Michael wrap his arms around his waist and kiss his back.

“I love you,” Michael mumbled into his sweater. Ray smiled and placed his hands on his arms. The counter was hidden this time.

“I love you too,” Ray responded. It took all his courage to pull up the sleeve and face the counter. He kissed the four numbers. It was a little cold compared to the rest of his arm. It was boney and cold. The thump of Michael’s heart beat against his lips, reminding him he was still alive.

_75:03:04:20_

That same night Ray took Michael to bed, he wanted to hear his heart. He wanted to hear it beat louder than drums.

“Are you alright with this Michael?” Ray hungrily asked as Michael kissed him back with as much want and need as him.

“Yes, fuck,” He swore. “I’m still pretty strong,”

Ray held onto his sides like he was porcelain. He wanted to grab and toss him around to make him moan his name but, he suppressed it. He was scared of hurting him. Michael scratched at his back, begging, pleading for him.

“ _Ray, please,”_ Michael moaned into his shoulder. Ray bit his lip to keep control. He pressed his chest against his, feeling his quick and lively heart beat.  He dug his nails into the sheets as his body heated up like a fever. He tried to keep his thrusts as controlled as possible but, he felt himself slip and the orgasm building up faster than he wanted. Michael was lost under him; his freckles noticeable on pink cheeks and under closed eyes. His nails dug deeper into Ray’s flesh as his body arched and demanded release. Ray let out a low growl as he let himself go and felt his hips and back contract to the intensity of the orgasm and Michael tightening himself due to his own. Ray did his best to hold himself up as sweat beaded down his arms.

“That was amazing,” he heard Michael mumble. He pulled out and laid on his back next to him, feeling the sticky mess on his stomach and his heart trying to burst out of his chest.  He forced himself to get up and wash up.

Michael’s heart thumped loudly in his rib cage against Ray’s ear. Irregularly but beating nonetheless.  He buried himself in the older man’s chest. They laid in silence until they fell asleep in tangled up sheets and sweat.

_60:14:20:44_

The bloodied tissues and sudden fevers were a normal part of daily life now. Burnie had given Ray longer weekends to spend with Michael. Ray would try to get him to rest as much as he can but he knew Michael was stubborn and he would find him trying to record a video.

“You don’t sleep,” Michael noticed as Ray sleepily drank his cup of coffee. He had been rubbing his eyes until they were red.

“Stayed up editing,” he explained.

Ray was growing more and more anxious as Michael’s counter was closer and closer to the end. He glimpsed at it and registered that he had only 2 months left. He excused himself from the table and got ready for work.

Coming home from work that evening, Michael sat him down. He held Ray’s warm hands between his and looked up at him.

“The funeral preparations are done,” he said bluntly. Ray tried to keep his calm as he nodded, unable to talk. “It’ll be small but, it’s something.” His voice cracked. His body trembled as he tightened his grip on the younger man. They had to be done but Ray forgot about them entirely. It was something that he didn’t want to think about and had pushed it in the deepest parts of the back of his mind.  Ray let go of Michael’s hand to wipe away tears on the sick man’s face. 

_34:02:01:50_

Ray woke up during the night sobbing violently. His breath was caught in his throat and his body shook like an earthquake. He quickly sat up, reaching over to the tissue box on his night-table to soak up the tears. He looked over to Michael, who stirred but didn’t wake. Slowly, the tears stopped flowing and he was able to catch his breath. His counter was bright red in the dark room.

“Michael,” he gently shook his partner’s shoulder. “Michael, please, wake up for me.”

He heard Michael groan and his shoulders shift under him.

“What is it Ray?” he mumbled. Ray smiled. He was still alive. Ray wrapped his arms around him, taking in his warmth and pulse. Michael simply placed his hands around Ray’s arm, too weak to turn to hug him back. It didn’t matter though because they were both back to sleep.

Michael didn’t have the strength  to get out of bed anymore. His dark brown curls have turned a shade of ash brown and the dark circles around his eyes looked absolutely terrible. Ray traced the veins that were visible under his thin pale skin on his hands. He had stopped showing up to work and no one questioned why.  His cell phone did not buzz nor rang. The computer was unplugged and his Xbox was shut off. His only priority was to not miss any remaining moments with Michael. 

Ray took it into his own hands to carry Michael to the bathroom and to feed him.

“I’m a piece of shit,” Michael coughed. Ray had been lying in bed beside him.

“Shut up, you’re perfect,” he replied. Michael didn’t respond and could only curl his fingers more around Ray’s warm dark palm.

_10:11:2:10_

Ray couldn’t sleep anymore. Michael’s counter flashed the cruel red numbers that kept him awake at night and impossible to nap during the day. Michael’s parents were due to fly in from New Jersey today to gather a few things and Ray would be moving out of their apartment soon after the funeral.

Ray had left Michael sleeping as he spoke with his parents. They were upset to know that Michael had decided to lay to rest in Austin. Ray could only reply that it wasn’t his choice.

“Not only is he staying here, but his grave is to be shared with _you_ ,” she spat as she dried her eyes with provided tissues. Ray was unaware of this and Michael’s father had to show him a picture of the tombstone.

_Michael Vincent Jones_

_July 24 1987 –_

_Ray Narvaez Jr_

_September 15 1989 –_

His heart dropped into his stomach. He couldn’t speak anymore and the couple had left him to cry by himself. They kissed their son and left the apartment. He crawled back into bed with his lover, unable to form words about their grave together. The chain dangling around his neck; it reminded him of the proposal many months ago.

_9:20:3:3_

He spent a day packing all their things. He was to keep his Xbox and any clothes he wanted. He slowly put all their picture frames in a box. He sat on the ground to go through them. He mentally thanked Gavin for his photographic skills and catching the hidden kisses and hand holding at events. He stayed on a photograph of Michael, Lindsay, Gavin and himself with short sleeved t-shirts. His eyes focused on their death counters. Both Lindsay and Gavin had over seventy years to go while his was not far behind. Michael’s counter had glow the shortest lifespan but his face had no glimpse of him stopping what he loved. No one sympathized with him; he didn’t want any of it.

_I’m alright with dying at twenty-six. I’ve had some of the best days of my life. The only thing that kills me is leaving Ray behind, because I love that guy, with everything I have_ , he heard him say to Lindsay when she asked about it. She had cried. Everyone had cried when they found out about it.

Ray couldn’t cry anymore. He was dried up of his tears.

_1:10:2:33_

“Don’t answer the door for my parents, I don’t want them here when I die,” Michael had told Ray. He simply nodded.  “I love you,”.

They were the last words Michael could choke out before he began his final sleep.

“I love you too,” Ray whispered with a shaky voice as he curled himself around him. Ray ignored the bangs and knocks at the front door and could only watch the counter go down. It was painful to watch but he couldn’t keep away. His eyes burned and his mind begged for sleep. His body had become numb but his heart was in a anxious filled frenzy.

Before he knew it, he had probably drifted off to a short dreamless sleep, and the counter had mere minutes left. He pushed the hair away from Michael’s sunken eyes as he watched life leave him.

_00:00:00:00_

The last breath escaped Michael’s mouth in a shiver and Ray could see his body sink into the mattress.  His body lost its warmth and had started progressing into a corpse. Ray’s body begged to cry but the tears did not come. Instead, his body shook like an earthquake, releasing any emotion he had left about it.

He swore and screamed as loud as he could as the glowing red counter faded into his skin and left no mark.

The stars were shining as brightly as he remembered the night he fell in love with Michael Jones. He remembered seeing the big grin across his healthy face and how his faced blushed with life and energy. He remembered kissing him, and how red his lips had became once they broke apart for air. It felt like only yesterday had Michael had given him his class ring as a proposal piece.

Ray stood there in the dark at the tombstone with roses in his hand. Everyone had left but he had stuck around well past the event, denied leaving with anyone. The cold night sent shivers up his spine and had declared it was time to go. He fixed his tuxedo, the tuxedo he might’ve worn to their wedding.

He licked his lips and laid the roses on the grave before walking away, holding onto the ring around his neck. 

 


End file.
